7 rentable outdoor experiences in the Twin Cities this summer

It can sometimes seem like summer is made for the cabin-owners, the kayak-havers, the pontoon-possessors.

But the Twin Cities offers many opportunities to rent — rather than buy — an afternoon of summer fun.

We have gathered a range of rentable summertime experiences, from swan boats to riverside kayaks that you check out of a locker. No surprise: Most involve water.

Swan song

When it comes to pedal boats, Wheel Fun Rentals on Lake Como in St. Paul ups the Instagram-worthy ante with swan boats that pay tribute to the aquatic bird — long white necks, orange wedge beaks and all.

The swans launch from Como Lakeside Pavilion, where you start in a bustling area and then make your way — at a leisurely pace — to quieter nooks of the 1.7-mile lake. Spot landmarks on and off the water, such as the Duck Point scenic overlook, the fishing pier and the historic streetcar station.

For sunny days, retractable tops provide shade. In addition to day outings, there are also night excursions, when the boats are strung with LED lights. The boats fit up to two adults and two children and rent for $30 an hour.

For more information, visit wheelfunrentals.com/mn/st-paul/lake-como/rentals

NANCY NGO

Smooth paddling

With the Mississippi River Paddle Share, you can check out a kayak upstream — punching in a code to unload it from a locker — and then paddle away, eventually dropping off the boat at your downriver destination.

On a recent afternoon, friends and I tried out one of five possible routes, paddling the "city" section of the river from North Mississippi Regional Park to Boom Island.

We kayaked under six bridges, including the arched Lowry Avenue, where Minneapolis' skyline appears to rise from the water. Our favorite section brought us alongside islands that are home to a noisy heron rookery. We spotted chicks in the high-up nests and watched the giant birds land and take off again and again.

Once ashore near the Boom Island lighthouse, we carried the kayaks up to the return station. Then we slipped our paddles and life jackets into a slot — much like a giant library book return.

Prices, available days and blocks of time vary depending on the route. Check www.paddleshare.org for details. The "city" route costs $30 for a six-hour rental window.

ERICA PEARSON

Get a lift

You have to sign up for a lesson to ride the latest personal watercraft: the efoil, a sort of electric-powered surfboard combined with a hydrofoil that allows you to lift up over the water and skim along at up to 30 miles an hour. It's advertised as a quiet, wake-free ride that provides the thrill of surfing or kiteboarding — no waves or wind required.

Dave Kornecki, Midwest representative for the Lift brand of efoils, has begun booking lessons and demos on Lake Harriet on the devices, which retail for $9,000 to $13,000. It'll cost you $200 for 90 minutes to three hours of lessons and riding depending on battery life.

Contact dave@liftfoils.com, or see progressive-sportz.com.

Beth Meyers of zenwatersports.com gives efoil lessons on the St. Croix River in the Lakeland, Minn., and Hudson, Wis., area for $250 per person for a 90-minute lesson. She can also bring efoils to your lake home for an all-day event.

RICHARD CHIN

A cycling experiment

Want to try a new form of cycling, but don't want to buy a new bike and/or tires? The Loppet Foundation's bike rentals offer a low-cost, low-commitment way to explore.

Rent a mountain bike and traverse the 13 miles of off-road trails within Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Or take a city bike and hit the many paved trails that lead to the Mississippi River, lakes and even all the way to St. Paul.

"It's unique to have Theodore Wirth right here in the city," said Ben Bauch, trailhead director at the Loppet Foundation. "There are few places where you can be in the woods and then come up on a hill and see the skyline."

Three-hour rentals cost $45 for mountain bikes and $35 for city and hybrid bikes.

For more information, email info@loppet.org, go to loppet.org or call 612-604-5330.

ALEX CHHITH

You're the captain now

No pontoon boat? No problem. Rent a vessel from Your Boat Club for half a day.

Go online to pick your lake and date, how many people will be on board, whether the boat must be dog-friendly and reserve your selection. Prices for pontoons range from $300 to $400 for a morning or afternoon. Other options — like runabouts and fishing boats — are also available.

Your Boat Club offers 40 locations across the country, and counts Lake Minnetonka, Lake Waconia, Prior Lake, Gull Lake and Cross Lake among its most popular selections in Minnesota. Before your voyage, the staff will walk you through how to operate the boat. The best part? They can do the docking for you.

Visit yourboatclub.com or call 612-208-1800 to make your reservation.

LAURA YUEN

Pedal power
On a recent Saturday in Minnehaha Regional Park in Minneapolis, a pedal-powered surrey — those canopy-topped, four-wheeled contraptions — inched its way up an incline.

"This is brutal," said the driver, who, despite his superhero-esque physique, strained to haul two riders up the hill with minimal help from his 7-year-old co-pedaler.

The great thing about these surrey bikes, which hold up to six adults, plus two small children in the basket, is that you can chat while you ride. The not-so-great thing about surreys is that going uphill can require getting out to push. And the downhills can be a bit too much of a thrill (the handbrake helps). Fortunately, Minnehaha's paths are mostly flat.

A single surrey (one bench seat, two pedalers) costs $29 an hour. A double (two bench seats, four pedalers) costs $39 hour. Kids' helmets included. At Wheel Fun Rentals locations in Minnehaha Regional Park and Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis; Veterans Memorial Park in Richfield; and Canal Park in Duluth. wheelfunrentals.com, 805-650-7770. -RACHEL HUTTON

Rent-a-chef

The best part of having people over for a BBQ is the moment when the food's plated, and everyone tucks in for a hot meal in the glorious Minnesota outdoors. The worst part is everything you do before they show up. If you're content to toss some brats on the grill and leave it at that, fine — but what if you want something more adventurous? Something beyond your own meager abilities?

You could rent a chef. Try takeachef.com, which dispatches local chefs to your domicile for a meal that's literally home-cooked. It's not cheap, as you might expect — a four-course meal might run you $170 per person.

If that busts the budget, there's Friend That Cooks. They'll do the cooking in advance for $63 an hour, minimum three hours. And they'll cook whatever you want. Dream up a barbecue with all sorts of skewers, meats, vegan options, fancy salads, and it'll be ready for the grill when your guests arrive. Or let the chef decide.

Visit www.weeklymealprep.com/twin-cities/ to learn more.

JAMES LILEKS